


The Small Child

by AmableAngel



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Civil War, Countries Using Human Names, Death, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 03:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10324163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmableAngel/pseuds/AmableAngel
Summary: Alfred discovers a child.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy! Kudos are appreciated!
> 
> *insert usual disclaimer stuff*

Alfred was taking a walk in the forest. His head had been pounding earlier, since seemed as if there were voices in his head, warring over different values and ideals. A walk in the sunshine seemed appropriate. The sky was clear and the day was warm. He inhaled and smiled. 

Arriving at a clearing, he found a small child sitting on a log. His headache vanished upon looking at the child. Perplexed, he approached the little boy and crouched down on his knees. “Hey, what’s your name? You really shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”

The child looked up at Alfred with earnest blue eyes.  _ My eyes.  _ “I’m the Confederate States of America.”

He gasped, as he realized what this meant. Alfred’s boss had warned him that something like this could happen due to the rising tensions in the Union. 

He guessed that this was it. His son. 

Alfred scrunched his eyebrows together. Something wasn’t right, however. The child looked sickly. Like he wouldn’t live very long. 

“Mister, are you okay?” the child asked. Alfred shook out of his trance. He smiled shakily and got up from his position. 

“I’m fine.” His mouth felt dry and his head was spinning. 

“Oh, what’s your name?” The little boy--  _ Let’s call him Tom _ \-- tilted his head and looked at Alfred with inquisitive eyes. 

“I… Just call me Alfie. Now, are you going to stay here or do you want to go home with me?”  _ Please say no, please say no, please say no.  _

Tom looked straight ahead and began swinging his legs as if he were thinking. “No, I think I’m fine. Thank you, Mr. Alfie. I’ll be sure to come by and say hello when I’m bigger. I think I have to go now. My boss is calling me.” He hopped off the log and ran through the woods without another word. 

“Okay, then. That solves that.”

 

**Four years later…**

 

  1. The war was over. Robert E. Lee had surrendered and the Union was at peace. Mostly.



Alfred walked out into the warmth and basked in the sun’s glow. Now he could rest. Stretching his arms out, he set down on a familiar dirt path, one worn away by years of walking. 

The trees began blending together as he approached the same clearing he had seen Tom for the first and last time, four years ago. 

This time, however, something was different. He frowned. Surveying his surroundings, Alfred gasped. A small child with blonde-brown hair laid on his side, deathly still.  _ Tom! _ He walked tentatively towards the boy and rested his finger against his neck. The skin was cold and clammy. 

Alfred’s stomach plummeted along with his heart. No pulse. 

He picked up the body, bridal style, and began walking to his house. His head was spinning.  _ It was bound to happen eventually. If Lee surrendered, then there is no Confederate States of America. So, no Tom.  _ Even so, Alfred was crushed. The poor boy did not deserve to die, even if his short-lived country stood for everything Alfred was against. 

A servant saw him approaching and ran out to meet him. “Mr. America! Is everything alright?” The servant then saw the tiny, frail corpse and gulped. 

“Is he…?” he asked. Alfred gave a small nod and shuffled into the house. He set the body down on the couch gently and sunk to his knees. Small, shaky sobs escaped his body as he gazed upon the life that should’ve been there, but wasn’t. 

 

_ Here lies Tom _

_ A brave soldier to the very end _

_ A life that didn’t deserve this fate _


End file.
